Mail-box.



No. 632,796. Patented Sept. l2, I899.

J. A. TILLY.

MAIL BOX.

(Application filed Apr. 19, 1899.

2 Sheets-Sheet No Model.)

wi/ii-nmm a. u. c. mz ncams Pmas on. rMo'Io-uwa. wssnms'm Patented Sept. [2, I899.

J. A. TILLY.

MAIL BOX.

(Application filed Apt. 19, 1899.)

2 SheetsSheet 2.

(No Model.)

131: "cams PITERS co. FKOIQLITHO. WASHXNOTON. v. c.

-in a raised position.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. TILLY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

MAIL-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,796, dated September 12, 1899.

Application filed April 19, 1899.

To CLZZ whmn it may concer Be it known that I, JOHN A. TIDLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, (Brooklyn,) in the county of Kings, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to-make and use the same.

My invention relates to mail-boxes in general, and has for its object to produce a box for the reception of letters, &c., and in which the letter deposited will have its stamp canceled and will be stamped with the time of mailing and place of mailing.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a view, partly broken away, showing my mail-box, the chute being Fig. 2 is a plan view of the movable chute. Fig. 3 is a view of the underside of the chute, showing the position of the stamp and canceler carried thereby. Fig. 4 is a side view of my box with side removed and showing the chute in a lowered position. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective showing the means for shifting the ribbon. Fig. 6 is a perspective view showingthe stamp and canceler on the inner face of the front of the box.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings, in operating in accordance with my invention I form a box or receptacle 5, the upper portion of which is cut away at one corner to form a recess 6, as shown, the lower wall of said recess being covered over permanently and resulting in the formation of a cupola at the top of the box. The front end of the eupola has a shutter consisting of a base 9 and sides 10 and 11, the sides extending beyond the base, as shown. A front piece 11 is secured to the ends of the sides, the sides extending above the front piece, as shown. The chute is pivotally mounted within the box in such a manner that when its upper end is rocked forwardly to cause the chute to lie horizontal the front piece 11 will close the front of the cupola, save for a narrow slot 12 Serial No. 713,658. (No model.)

for the ingress of letters. This slot 12 is also closed by means of a curvilinear plate 13, having an extension 14 at an angle thereto, through the medium of which extension it is movably connected with the sides of the chute on pivots 15, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. This plate 13 is counterbalanced by its extension 14, so that when the chute is in the position shown in Fig. 1 the plate will uncover the opening and may be readily moved to close the slot.

At a suitable distance from the upper or forward end of the chute the sides are inclined upwardly and are covered to form an outwardly or forwardly opening hopper, whose front edge projects above the sides of the chute. Between the mouth of the hopper and the front end of the chute there is an open space, within which is located the plate 13 above referred to.

In the rear of the hopper the sides are extended upwardly for a suitable distance and are provided with a covering extending from one side to the other, this covering entirely closing the chute at this point. Upon this covering 15' as a base are journaled two rolls l6 and 17 in suitable bearings 18, said rolls carrying a continuous inking-ribbon 19, passing over them and thence through slots in the sides of the chute, so as to lie transversely of the chute. Within the chute and secured to the under surface of the base 15' is a dater and canceler 20, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, over which the inking-ribbon passes.

Extending downwardly and forwardly from the rear end of the chute is a plate 22, having a head at its forward end for a purpose which will be presently explained. In order to swing the chute into the position shown in Fig. 1, a knob 23 is secured to each side thereof and in a position to travel in an arc-shaped slot in its respective side of the box proper, as shown at 2% in Fig. 4.

Inserted in the front of the box is a removover the dater and stamp. The position of IOO the stamp is such that when the chute hangs in a position to close the front of the cupola, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, said chute will rest with its open under side adjacent the stamp and with its sides lying on either side thereof.

In order to adjust the ink-ribbon 19 automatically, I secure to a suitable support a spring-plate 23, having its end serrated and curved downwardly to lie substantially parallel with the body of the plate. Ihave shown this plate attached to the side of the canceling-stamp in Fig. 4 of the drawings in sucha position that when the chute falls to the position shown in Fig. 4 the ribbon 19 will engage. the rounded side of the serrated plate and will pass therebeyond; but when the chute is rocked to the position shown in Fig. 1 the ribbon will be engaged by the serrations of the plate and will be caused to move upon its supporting-rollers, thus changing the position of the ribbon after each operation of the device.

The operation of the device is as follows: The stamps in the front of the box and u pon the chute having been set for the proper date, the operating-knob is grasped and the upper end of the chute is rocked forward untilthe slot in the front of the box is opened, the plate 13 then lying to uncover the slot. A letter is then inserted through the slot and engages the extension of the plate 13, causing the plate to rise and close the slot, and thus prevent the ingress of another letter until the chute has been allowed to drop, when the letter passes from the projection and downwardly through the hopper and into engagement with the plate 22. The engagement with plate 22 occurs before the chute has reached the limit of its downward movement, and the downward swing of the chute causes the letter to lie against the ribbon carried by the chute. When the chute reaches the limit of its down- Ward movement, it is suddenly arrested by the box dater, causing the imprint of the date and cancel on both faces of the letter, and thus insuring dating and canceling irrespective of the arrangement of the letter within the chute. The chute is held in this position and is prevented from bouncing by means of the bead on the edge of the plate 22, which engages the points against the lower edge of the box dater until aslight force is brought to bear upon the upper end of the chute. Then the chute is rocked forward to receive another letter, the canceled letter will drop from plate 22 and into the letter-box.

It will be readily understood that I may in g an opening therein, a chute pivoted within the receptacle adjacent the opening and having a mouth adapted to receive the mail, a shutter within the chute adapted to close the mouth thereof, a stamp mounted within the chute and adapted to engage mail deposited therein, and a second stamp mounted within.

the receptacle to engage the mail within the chute, when the latter is rocked.

2. Amail-box comprisinga receptacle having an opening therein, a chute pivoted within the receptacle adjacent the opening, said chute having a mouth adapted to register with the opening, a shutter pivoted within and adapted to close the mouth of the chute,

a stamp mounted within the chute adapted to engage mail therein, rollers mount-ed upon the chute, an inking-ribbon attached to the rollers and passing over the stamp, a second stamp mounted within the receptacle adapted to engage mail within the chute when the latter is rocked, and a mechanism mounted I upon the last-named stamp for operating the ribbon passing over the first-named stamp.

3. A mail-box comprising a receptacle having an opening therein, a chute pivoted within the receptacle adjacent the opening, said chute comprising bottom, side and top walls,

having a mouth adapted to register with the opening of the receptacle, ashutter mounted within and adapted to close the mouth of 'the chute, a stamp arranged within the chute to engage matter therein, an opening within the wall of the chute opposite said stamp, rollers mounted upon the chute, longitudinal slots in the sides of the chute adjacent the stamp, an inking-ribbon secured to the rollers and passing through said slots, a second stamp mounted within the receptacle for engaging matter within the chute when the latter is rocked, and a mechanism securing said canceler for actuating the inking-ribbon on the chute.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- JOHN A. TILLY.

\Vitnesses:

ELMER E. BERGEN, FRED H. CoNKLIN.

IIO 

